Electric cut-out and fuse



Jan. 17, 1928. Y A 1,656,800

w. J. TURENNE ELECTRIC CUT-OUT AND FUSE Filed OCQ. 6, 1922 vvvnfrecl J. Turenne byaw QMMNM Ays.

Patented/Jn. 11, 192s.

WILFRED J. TUBEN'NE, 0F DANVEBS, MASSACHUSETTS.

nnncrnrc cur-QUT AND FUSE. f

Application mea october s, 1922. serial No. 532,757." A

l the molten material which results from the.

blowing ofthe fuse. y Y

A further objectof the invention 1s' to provide a novel means for securing the cutout device to a suitable support. A More specifically the invention relates to improvements in a cut-out and fuse construction for electrically heated flat irons andfth'e object thereof is to provide a novel construction which can be readily mounted upon thel 2Gilat iron and in which the fusible material, although protected from direct action of the heat of the heating unit and the base of the iron, willbe so arranged as to be melted b the heat of the iron when the same eXcee s a predetermined temperature and severance insured. These and other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description4 and the accompanying drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims. p

A preferred embodiment of the invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig.. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through `:in-electrically heated fiat iron and the novel cut-out and fuse plug embodying the invention, the casing containing the heating unit being shown in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a preferred form of fuse plug and fuse;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 Fig. 1 viewed from above;

. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4- 4 Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a modified form of plug and fuse; and,

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the plug illus-` trated in Fig. 5 viewed from the side.

The present invention is illustrated herein as embodied in an electrically heated fiat iron, butit will be understood that the novel cnt outlj'and fuse may be employed in other relations to which itfis applicable within the 5f scopefof the claims.

The'iflat iron illustrated in the drawing comprises the usual metallic base 1 vupon which a suitable heating unit is mounted. rllhe heating unit is connected. by suitable binding screws 2 and 3 to conductors 4 and 5 vthrough which a suitable electric current is transmitted to the heating unit. The heating unit is enclosed in a suitable casing 6 as is usual in such constructions.

The flat iron is provided with a cover plate 7 which rests at'its lower edge' upon a' shoulder extendingl around the upper portion of the `base of theflat' iron .and presents a substantially flat top 8. A suitable plug of insulating material 9 is mounted in the cover and is provided with apertures to receive posts 10 and 11t'o which a connector for the conductors of a suitable electric circuit may be detachably connected as is usual in devices of this character.

As illustrated herein the bindingl screw 2 is connected directly with the post 10 by the conductor 4 while the conductor 5, which leads from the binding screw 3, is connected to one of the terminals of the cut-out and fuse plug mechanism to which the present invention relates. l

The cut-out and fuse construction comprises a chambered casing 12, referably of cylindrical form, havinga prefgrably downwardly extending conoidal closed end or bottom 13 and a laterally extending iange 14 at its to which is adapted to rest upon the top of t e cover 8 of the flat iron, or any other suitable support for the cutout device.

One of the features of the present invention consists in providing novel means for supporting the casing of the cut-out device and retaining the same permanently in proper Position. In the preferred embodiment o the invention illustrated herein a strap 15 of copper, or other suitable conducting material, surrounds and embraces the upper portion of the cylindrical, chambered member 12 and desirably is located directly beneath and preferably engages the under surface of an extension of the insulating member 9 of the fiat iron.

The strap 15 is provided with an extension 16 which is twisted Ato present a flat 105 enlarged end 17 having an apertureto receive the lower end of the post 11. A nut 18 upon the screw threaded end of the post serves to clamp the end -17 of the extension of the strap against the under face of the U0 insulating member 9 of the liat `iron and also to establish a good electric contact with lOl) 'l the end of the strap' 15. The' otheri'end of the strapy 15 is provided with an extension -l9-.which is folded back upon itself and extends within th casing and is bent downwardly. to provide a yielding terminal 20 adapted to .engage the co-operating terminal upon the `fuse. A screw 21, which extends through the folded portion of the extension 19 and is screw threaded into lthe .extension 15 of the strap 15, serves to clamp the strap firmly about the chambered insulating mem. ber or casing of the cutfout and fuse.

aperture 33 the plug and bent -into shape, the legs 34 and 35 extending alongside and preferably lyingl against the flat" walls of the fuse-supporting extension 30 of the plug. The legs 34 and 35 are providedv at their upper ends respectively with binding screws -36 and 37 which are seatedl in the' fuse-supporting extension of the plug, these.

screws being so located asv .to contact respectively with .the terminals v26V and 22 leadmg -respectively to -thebi'nding screw 3 of the I By reason of this construction the insu--- lated cut-out casing is firmly retained in place and is electrically connected to thc post 11 which is adapted to be connected into thel electric circuit.

The other terminal-for the cut-out and.

fuse plugis'pr'eferably somewhat similarly constructed. It eomprlses a strap 22 which extends around and embraces the insulating'A chambered member 12 and is provided with anextension v having an aperture therethrough to receive a screw 24. Theotherend of the strapj'22 is likewise provided with an extension 25 which is folded backupon itself and'provided with a downwardly extendingspring terminal 26 adapted to engage a co-operating terminal upon the cutout and fuse plu which will hereinafter be vmore fully descri ed.' The screw 24 which extends through the "extension 23 is screw threaded'. into the folded extension 25 and when set up serves-to clamp the strap firmly upon the chambered insulating member as illustrated in Fig. 4. i p

Various forms of cut-out and fuse plugs may bevemployed within the spirit and scope of the claims. Two preferred constructions are illustrated herein, one of which is shown in detail in Figs. 1 and 2, and the other of which is shown in detail in Figs. 5 and 6.

- In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the plug consists of a head 27 which preferably is provided with a knob lor handle 28 and with a cylindrical post 29 which fits in v compartments.

The lower end of the fuse-supporting.

member 30 desirably 'is made thinner and is provided with an aperture 33 therethrough.-

Thefuse may be of any suitable character 'adapted to be melted -when subjected to a 'temperature in excess of a predeterminedamount. In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the fuseis inserted through the heating unit and the post 11 which forms one of the elements of the usual connector devices for a'flat iron. y

The aperture 33` through which the bent portion of the Ushaped fuse passesis -located at a considerable distance above the closed `bottom of the c hambered insulating member 12 and acts to support the central v5 portion of the fuse as it sags down under an excessive heat so that the fuse is enabled to extend a greater distance during-the melting stage than would be the case if no support were provided for the central portion of the fuse..".'.h

By reason of` this central supportthe sev erance of the fuse` and the complete shutting oli' of the current when a predetermined l temperature is exceeded is insured. The closed bottom of the receptacle serves to collect the fused material from which it can be i removed readily after the fuse has blown.

, I Any other suitable means may be provided for supporting the downwardly extending U-shapd portion of the fuse in-.such a manner as to provide a suicient space to insure severance of the'fuse and lthereb to avoid the failure of a sagging'but unbro en fuse to cut olf the supply of current to the heating unit promptly and efecti'vely.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a different formv of cutout and fuse plug-embed ing the invention is illustrated in which t e chamber to re ceive vthe sagging and melting fuse is located in the plug itself. In this construction the fuse plug comprises a head 38 having a knob or handle'39 and an cularl ed portlon or boss 40 adapted to fit a suitab e socket 41 which desirably comprises a. wall of insulating material. The plug is provided with a fuse-supporting extension 42 having parallel recesses 43 which receives the legs of a U- shaped fuse 44. The transverse loop or bend of the U-shaped fuse fits in a cross groove 45 V which connects' the recesses 43, these yrecesses being at a considerable distance from the end of the plug extension 41, thus providing a relatively long chamber below the loop or bend of the fuse.

The inner wall of the lower end of the plug extension desirably is screw threaded and the chamber is closed by a hollow plug 46 having screw threads upon its outer wall 47. The edges of the wall 47 desirably engage the ends of the legs of the fuse so that l the central hollow portion 48 of the plug provides a chamber which lies beneath the transverse .or looped portion of the fuse In this construction the edges 47 of the plug prevent the downward sagging of the legs of the loop when the fuse is vsubjected to an excessive temperature, while the chamber 48 is of suiicient depth and capacity to insure the breakage of the melting and sagging transverse looped portion of the fuse when the fuse is subjected to an excessive temperature, Y

Other'means may, of course, be employed' for supporting the transverse loopedportion of the fuse within the spirit ofthe claims herein. f y' The upper ends of the legs of the fuse 44 are connecte respectively to suitable mctali lic terminals 49 and'O adapted to Ico-operate respectively with the circuit terminals 26 and 22. In this construct-ion the fuse may be of the usual type, such as, a cylindrical orflat fuse inserted in the apertures 43 which extend longitudinally of the plug until the endsl of the fuse engage the terminals 49 and 50. Preferably, however, a suitable fusible metal is cast directly into these4 longitudinally extending apertures to form the U-shaped fuse illustrated.

The cut-out and fuse construction disclosed in all of the figures of the accompanying drawing is particularly applicable to devices in which the blowing of the fuse is caused 'by an external temperature as the insulation surrounding the fuse may bemade of relatively thin material. i

The invention is illustrated herein as a-pplied to a flat iron and in this construction the lower end of the insulating member is Shown as. extending into a recess in the up- A per face of the base of the flat iron so that the lower or looped portion of the fuse is not only in proximity to the surface of the base of the iron, but also in proximity to the heating unit and, consequently, in a most favorable position to be aifected by an excessive temperature of the iron.

It will be understood that various changes in form, construction and arrangement of parts may be made within the` spirit and scope of the claims and that the invention consists broadly in providing means for supporting the sagging portion of the fuse so that it will elongate to a breaking point while melting, thus insuring the interruption of the current.

It will also be understood? that while the fuse construction is primarily adapted for use in constructions in which the fuse is melted by an external temperature in excess of a predetermind\ amount, it willlalso be blown if. an excessive current is supplied to the circuit. l, i

The present embodiment of the invention is, therefore, illustrative andf/nfot/,r'estrictive and various changes' in form, construction and arrangement of parts may be' made within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. An electric cut-out and fuse comprising a ehambered member having a wall of insulating material closed at its lower end to provide a receptacle of sutiicient capacity to collect the molten material of a blown fuse anda-'fuse plug removably mounted therein having a support for the central portion of .the fuse located at a su-iicient distance from thebottom of said receptacle to insure the breakage of the meltingfuse by sagging before the molten material is collected in said 'receptable and contact terminals for connect- .ing the fuse in an electric `circuit.

2. An electric cut-out and fuse comprising a. ehambered socket member having a wall of insulating material closed at its lower end to provide a receptacle of suflicient capacity to collect the molten material of ablown fuse, a plug removably mounted in said socket member having a fuse support extending into said chamber dividing the same into two compartments communicating at their lower ends with said receptacle, a fuse carried by said supporting member leading from one compartment to the other through an aperture in said plug located at a sufficient distance above the end of said support to insure the breakage of the melting fuse by sagging before the molten material of the blown fuse is deposited in the receptacle and complementary contact members upon said fuse and socket member?.

3. An electric cut-out and fuse comprising'a cylindrical ehambered socket member of insulating material having a closed bottom to provide a receptacle of sufficient capacityto collect the molten material of a blown fuse, a plug of Iinsulating material removably mounted in said socket member having a substantially rectangular fuse support extending into the chalptbei` in said socket member and dividing saldlchamber into two compartments communicating at the lower ends with said receptacle, a U-shaped fuse having its legs mounted upon the flat faces of said extension and extending lengthwise thereof, means supporting the bend of the fuse located at a sutlicient distance from the end of the support to insure breakage of the of a U-shaped fuse and located at a Sullicient distance from the free end of the plug to insure breakage of the melting fuse before the sagging portion thereof extends beyond the lower end of the fuse and contact members for the free ends of the fuse adapt-- a band surrounding said socket member hav-- ing a folded end portion extending through an aperture in said socket memberl to engage one of the terminalsv of the fuse and the opposite end portion of said band extended to provide a terminal, clamping means connecting the' folded end portion. to the *extendedportion, means connecting` the terminal end portion of said band to a sup-I porting member and a Contact member en gaging the other terminal of `the fuse.

6. An electric cut-out and fuse comprising a chambered socket member of insulating material, .a plug having .a fuse support extending into said chamber, a fusemounted upon said support provided 'with contact members, a combined Contactv terminal and support for said socket member comprising' a band surrounding said socket member having a folded end portion extending through an aperture in said socket member to engage one of the terminals of the fuse and the opposite end portion of said band extended to provide a terminal, clamping means connecting tlie'folded end portion to the ex.

tended portion, means'connectingthe terminal end portion of said band to a supportingmember and a lcontact member for the other terminal of the fuse comprising a band surrounding the socket member having a folded cnd extendingthrouvha recess in the socket member toengage tle other terminal of the fuse and clamping means connecting the folded end portion to the other end portion of said band. A

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WIL'FRED J. TURENNE. fV 

